题目内容

【题目】Why should mankind explore space? Why should money, time and effort be spent exploring and researching something with so few apparent benefits? Why should resources be spent on space rather than on conditions and people on Earth? These are questions that, understandably, are very often asked.

Perhaps the best answer lies in our genetic makeup (基因构成)as human beings. What drove our ancestors to move from the trees into the plains, and on into all possible areas and environments? The wider the spread of a species, the better its chance of survival. Perhaps the best reason for exploring space is this genetic tendency to expand wherever possible.

Nearly every successful civilization has explored, because by doing so, any dangers in surrounding areas can be identified and prepared for. Without knowledge, we may be completely destroyed by the danger. With knowledge, we can lessen its effects.

Exploration also allows minerals and other potential (潜在的)resources to be found. Even if we have no immediate need of them, they will perhaps be useful later. Resources may be more than physical possessions. Knowledge or techniques have been acquired through exploration. The techniques may have medical applications which can improve the length or quality of our lives. We have already benefited from other spin-offs including improvements in earthquake prediction, in satellites for weather forecasting and in communications systems. Even non-stick pans and mirrored sunglasses are by-products (副产品)of technological developments in the space industry!

While many resources are spent on what seems a small return, the exploration of space allows creative, brave and intelligent members of our species to focus on what may serve to save us. While space may hold many wonders and explanations of how the universe was formed or how it works, it also holds clangers. The danger exists, but knowledge can help human beings to survive. Without the ability to reach out across space, the chance to save ourselves might not exist.

While Earth is the only planet known to support life, surely the adaptive ability of humans would allow us to live on other planets. It is true that the lifestyle would be different, but human life and cultures have adapted in the past and surely could in the future.

1 Why does the author mention the questions in Paragraph 1?

A. To express his doubts.

B. To compare different ideas.

C. To introduce points for discussion.

D. To describe the conditions on Earth.

2 What is the reason for exploring space based on Paragraph 2?

A. Humans are nature-born to do so.

B. Humans have the tendency to fight.

C. Humans may find new sources of food.

D. Humans don’t like to stay in the same place.

3 The underlined word “spin-offs" in Paragraph 4probably refers to ________ .

A. survival chances

B. potential resources

C. unexpected benefits

D. physical possessions

4 What makes it possible for humans to live on other planets?

A. Our genetic makeup.

B. Resources on the earth.

C. The adaptive ability of humans.

D. By-products in space exploration.

【答案】1 C

2 A

3 C

4 C

【解析】1 推理判断题. 作者在第一段提出问题是在吸引读者的兴趣,引起人们对其进行讨论。故选择C项。

2 细节理解题。从第二段可知人类的基因构成使得人类具有不断探索的自然本性。故选择A项。

3 词义猜测题。根据下文. . . improvements in earthquake prediction, in satellites for weather forecasting and in. . . are by-products(副产品)of technological developments in the space industry!可知,科学的进步与发展已经给我们带来了很多益处,所以spin-offs的意思是unexpected benefits

4 细节理解题。从第六段第一句话“…surely the adaptive ability of humans would allow us to live on other planets. 可知C项正确.

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【题目】Once 1 spoke at a high school. After the speech, the principal a sick student named Matthew had expressed an in meeting me because I was a gold-medal weight lifter, and I about overcoming obstacles (障碍)and for my dreams.

I spent over an hour talking to Matthew. He spoke about winning and succeeding and seeking his dreams.When we finished talking, I went to my briefcase and out the first gold medal I won and put it around his . I told him he was more of a and knew more about success and overcoming than 1ever would. He looked at it for a while, then took it off handed it back to me. He said, "You earned that medal. when I get to the Olympics and win my own medal, I will show it to you.

Last summer I got the news that Matthew had passed and he sent me a letter

Dear Rick,

My mom said I should send you a thank you letter for the picture you sent me.I told you that in the future I was going to the Olympics and win a gold medal. But I know now I' . But God knows I'm a champion. When I get to Heaven, God will give me my and when you get there. I will show it to you.Thank you for loving me.

Your friend, Matthew

1 A. idea B. agreement C. opinion D. interest

2 A. knew B. read C. thought D. asked

3 A. /span>looking B. longing C. going D. waiting

4A. pushed B. pulled C. carried D. got

5 A. neck B. head C. hand D. waist

6A. loser B. winner C. patient D. buy

7 A. pains B. diseases C. obstacles D. shortcomings

8 A. or B. so C. but D. and

9 A. Somewhere B. Somehow C. Nowadays D. Someday

10 A. out B. away C. on D. by

11 A. seldom B. already C. never D. ever

12 A. medal B. picture C. life D. letter

【题目】Beijing had its coldest morning in almost 40 years and its biggest snowfall since 1951. Britain is suffering through its longest cold snap (寒潮since 1981. And freezing weather is hitting the US south.

Whatever happened to global warming?

Such weather doesn't seem to fit with warnings from scientists that the earth is warming because of greenhouse gases. But experts say the coldness doesn't deny global warming at allit's just a blip in the long-term heating trend.

"It's part of natural variability(变化性)," said Gerald Meehl, a senior scientist at the National Centre for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo. With global warming, he said"We'll still have record cold temperatures. We'll just have fewer of them.

Scientists say man-made climate change does have the potential to cause more frequent and more severe weather extremes, such as heat waves, storms, floods, droughts and even coldness. But experts did not connect the current cold weather to climate change.

So what is going on?

"We basically have seen just a big outbreak of Arctic air over populated areas of the Northern Hemisphere"Arndt said. In the atmosphere, large rivers of air travel roughly west to east around the globe between the Arctic and the tropics. But recently, this air flow has become bent into a pronounced (明显的z pattern, moving from north and south. If you live in a place where it brings air up from the south, you will get warm weather. In fact, record highs were reported this week in Washington state and Alaska.

But in some other unlucky parts of the globe, Arctic air is moving down from the north. And that's how you get the low temperature in Beijing, and 18 inches of snow in parts of Britain, where a member of Parliament who said the snow "clearly indicates a cooling trend " was laughed at by colleagues.

The z pattern arises naturally from time to time, but it is not clear why it's so strong right now, said Michelle Heureux, a meteorologist at the Climate Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The center says the pattern should begin to weaken in a week or two.

1 Many areas are suffering low temperature except __________.

A. Beijing

B. Washington state and Alaska

C. the US south

D. Britain

2 The underlined word blip in Paragraph 3 means __________.

A. temporary phenomenon

B. abnormal phenomenon

C. common phenomenon

D. rare phenomenon

3 From the text, it can be learned that __________.

A. global warming trend has proved wrong

B. there will be less coldness in the future

C. the z pattern Arctic air flow seldom happens

D. scientists haven't found out the reason of coldness

4 The present coldness is probably caused by __________.

A. climate change

B. Arctic air traveling west to east

C. the z pattern Arctic air flow

D. the cooling trend

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